Roughly two years after beta, Hello Kitty Online hits retail

After a tense period earlier this summer where Hello Kitty Online operations in North America shifted from Aeria Games to Sanrio Digital, the massively multiplayer online game is finally ready for retail. Hello Kitty Online hits shelves in this U.S. today.

The HKO development saga is a few years long with a lot of regional publishers for the international release. The game went live for the first time in Indonesia last year after a series of beta tests and public events like the Food for Friends charity drive.

Aeria Games operated Hello Kitty in North America from spring of 2009 to June 2010 before transferring control back to Sanrio Digital. At that time, Aeria said it would stay on to market the game and distribute the MMO client.

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After a tense period earlier this summer where Hello Kitty Online operations in North America shifted from Aeria Games to Sanrio Digital, the massively multiplayer online game is finally ready for retail. Hello Kitty Online hits shelves in this U.S. today.

The HKO development saga is a few years long with a lot of regional publishers for the international release. The game went live for the first time in Indonesia last year after a series of beta tests and public events like the Food for Friends charity drive.

Aeria Games operated Hello Kitty in North America from spring of 2009 to June 2010 before transferring control back to Sanrio Digital. At that time, Aeria said it would stay on to market the game and distribute the MMO client.

The retail version launching today comes in both downloadable form and in-store Premium Editions with the client loaded on DVD. The Premium Edition includes $15 worth of Sanrio Cash Points to spend on in-game items, a free virtual pet, an 82-page manual in full color, and Hello Kitty Online collector's postcards.

Check it out here.

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